William Wells Brown
William Wells Brown
William Wells Brown was born in 1814 in Lexington, Kentucky. He was a prominent African American abolitionist, lecturer, and writer known for his impactful contributions to the fight against slavery. Brown escaped from slavery himself and dedicated his life to advocating for justice and equality through his powerful speeches and writings.
Personal Name: Brown, William Wells
Birth: 1814 or 1815
Death: November 6, 1884
William Wells Brown Books
(3 Books)
William Wells Brown's Clotel or, The President's Daughter is often considered the first novel an African-American. When the book was published, Brown himself was legally the property of someone else within the United States, having escaped from slavery in Kentucky when he was younger. In the story President Thomas Jefferson and his former mulatto mistress Currer have had two daughters together: Althesea and Clotel. When their master passes away, their relatively comfortable lives are swept away and Currer and Althesea are bought by the harsh slave trader Dick Walker.
Narrative of the author's experiences as a slave in St. Louis and elsewhere.
